What to Know
- Tornadoes with wind speeds around 75 mph damaged buildings in industrial areas of Compton and Carson.
- The brief tornadoes did not last as long, less than a minute, as one that damaged businesses in Montebello in late March.
- The tornadoes formed during a spring storm that drenched Southern California with overnight rain.
Two brief tornadoes damaged the roofs of at least two buildings just miles apart in Carson and Compton Thursday morning as an unseasonably cold spring storm moved out of Los Angeles.
The strong winds ripped holes in roofs of at least two warehouse businesses. Some of the debris landed on vehicles parked near the business in a Carson industrial park.
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There were no reports of injuries.
The tornadoes with winds up to 75 mph were reported around 9 a.m., just 15 minutes apart.
"This tornado likely lasted for a minute or less, but did create some minor damage in the area," said Ariel Cohen of the National Weather Service.
Garrett Simmons was inside the warehouse he manages in Carson when the ceiling started peeling away. He described a powerful wind gust and flying pieces of metal.
"It was just super windy and super intense," Simmons said. "I knew it was going to rain a little bit but didn’t expect that."
The tornadoes packed lower wind speeds than one in March that damaged more than a dozen buildings in the San Gabriel Valley community of Montebello. The Montebello tornado lasted for about two minutes.
In March 1983, a stronger tornado caused widespread damage south of downtown Los Angeles. Since 1950, there have been 467 reported tornado events across California, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The most severe weather from the storm system moved into Riverside and San Bernardino counties by early afternoon after overnight rain and the roar of thunder in Southern California. A flood advisory in effect for much of the region expired at 8 a.m., but scattered showers continued into the afternoon.
Some lingering showers are possible in inland areas on Friday and into Saturday, but drier conditions are expected this weekend. Temperatures will rises into the 70s by Sunday after a week of widespread highs in the 50s and low-60s.
Cool weather returns Wednesday, and so does another chance of rain.
Some mountain areas will see even more snow, with an average of 4 to 8 inches possible at elevations above 6,000 feet, and a chance of accumulations exceeding a foot in some isolated spots. Lesser amounts of snow are possible down to 4,000 feet. Forecasters said there is a 30% chance of an inch or more of snow falling over the Grapevine stretch of Interstate 5 in northern Los Angeles County, so motorists should be on alert for possible closures or police escorts.
A winter weather advisory will be in effect until 5 p.m. Thursday in the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, with the anticipated snow accompanied by winds of up to 45 mph.
